Door-latch.



C. VICENZI.

DOOR LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18. 191 6.

1,2 46, 7 Patented Aug. 7,1917.

Efiwp v] CESARE VIGENZI, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

IDGOR-LATCH.

Application filed September 18, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CnsARn VICENZI, a subj ect of the Emperor of Austria, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door- Latches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip tion thereof.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in latches more particularly of a foot controlled type adapted for use in connection with sliding doors. It is primarily the object of the invention to provide a latch which may be actuated to extended or retracted positions by the foot of the operator, whereby the operators hands are free to manipulate the door.

The present device finds a particular application in connection with the vertically sliding doors of freight elevator shafts.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a latch of this nature which is of a maximum simplicity of structure consistent with durability and efficient o eration.

With the above and other ob ects and advantages in view, the invention resides more particularly in the novel combination, arrangement and formation of parts more particularly hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the improved latch on line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the latch on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the latch comprising the present embodiment of my invention is adapted for disposition on the floor at one side portion of the usual vertical sliding door associated with freight elevator shafts, whereby to form no obstruction to the passage of articles through the door. There is provided a casing 5 including the U-shaped plate 6 forming the side and top Walls and having its edge portions inwardly directed for securement to a bottom plate 7 secured in turn to the wall, the ends of the casing being closed by front and rear wall plates 8 and 9, respectively. The bolt 10 of the latch is mounted. to slide longitudinally on the bot- Spccification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

Serial No. 120,658.

tom of the casing, with one end projecting from the casing, and is guided in such sliding movement by a channel plate 11 secured to the bottom plate.

For actuating the bolt in its sliding movement, an angle lever 12 is pivoted at its angle to an ear 13 carried on the upper portion of the rear casing wall 9 and one end of this angle lever extends through a longitudinal slot 14C in the channel plate 7 and is loosely engaged in an opening 15 in the rear portion of the bolt. The other end of the lever is angularly directed to extend through a slot 16 in the top wall of the casing, and carries a foot plate 17. The bolt 10 is normally urged to extended position by a retractile spring 18 secured to the front wall of the casing and to the bolt engaging leg of the lever 12.

For locking the bolt in its retracted position an angle lever 19 is pivoted at its angle to an upstanding arm 20 in the casing and 1s provided in the lower portion of one leg with a recess 21 adapted'to interlockingly receive a lateral projection 22 on the bolt, which extends through a slot 23 in the chan nel plate. The lever is normally urged to this interlocking engagement by a retractile spring 2% secured thereto and to the up standing arm 20, and to provide for an automatic interlocking engagement of the lever with the bolt projection upon retraction of the bolt, the free end of the recessed forwardly extending leg of the lever is beveled. For actuating this lever, the up standing end thereof is provided with a lateral extension projecting outwardly of the casing through a slot 25 in the rear Wall 9 thereof, and carries a foot plate 26.

As heretofore mentioned, my present invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with th usual vertical sliding doors of freight elevator shafts, and therefore the casing 5 is spaced a distance from the door to prevent any obstruction in the movement thereof. For this reason a rather long bolt 10 is provided which, even in its retracted position, is not disposed entirely within the casing. When the latch is to be used with other types of doors the bolt may be constructed somewhat diflerently and of smaller size. From the description and drawing it is obvious that the operation of the bolt is controlled entirely by the foot of the operator by depressing either of the foot pedals 17 or 26.

I claim:

1. A latch of the class described comprising a casing, a bolt slidably mounted in the casing and adapted to project therefrom, an angle lever pivoted in the casing and having one end connected with the bolt for procuring retracting movement of the bolt upon rocking of the lever, the other end of the lever being extended outwardly of the easing, asecond lever pivoted within the casing and having one end extended outwardly thereof, means connecting said second lever and the bolt for holding the bolt in retracted position and means for resiliently urging the bolt from retracted position.

2. A latch of the class described comprising a casing, a bolt slidably mounted in the casing and normally urged to eXtended position, means for procuring retracting movement of the bolt, a lateral projection on the bolt, a lever pivoted within the casing and provided in one end portion with a recess adapted to receive the projection of the bolt to hold said bolt retracted, and the other end portion of said lever being offset inwardly of the casing and projected outwardly thereof.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at h lilwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

OESARE VIGENZI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. 0. 

